Here but Then

Present:

Here they where facing each other, but this time it was different. Marlon could not recognise the strong, young man standing in front of him. The curls on Jeremy's face wrapped with a shade of black due to the void's viscosity. Marlon bit his bottom lip red. He couldn't help but lift his head with an alarming approval of what Jeremy had become. Jeremy tilted his right eye down at Marlon, almost as if he was looking down on his former teacher.

"So you joining the Senses, " Marlon stuttered "that was all an act?"

Jeremy didn't even blink. He stared dead into Marlon's eyes.

"You could've saved her," Jeremy screamed "but you didn't!"

Marlon was speechless. He knew exactly what his student was talking about. He couldn't pull the words out of his mouth. Jeremy's lifeless eyes seemed as if they were about to burst out of his eyes. He was angry and frustrated. Marlon was hesitant and slightly quivering.

" She was already gone when I got there." Marlon replied.

Quivering with rage, Jeremy shook his head in disbelief before swinging his fist into Marlon's chin. Marlon stepped back into a darker area of the void, avoiding the attack. Marlon sighed before slamming his leg through Jeremy's weighted chest. He flew through the void like a crashing plane, headong for an unknown destination but terrified for its safety. Marlon, without hesitation, flew down to save his former student. Jeremy tumbled and tumbled before landing in Marlon's arms. He looked up and saw a hesitant Marlon. He smacked Marlon in the face. Marlon felt the vibration coursing through his skin. He spat out blood into Jeremy's hair.

"I don't need your help. I never have!" Jeremy shouted.

Marlon's eyes droppped to the darkness below with a face of disappointment, he couldn't bear to look at young man Jeremy had become. Jeremy continued speaking. His saliva rattling the tiny hairs on his face.

" My Leader promised he would get her back," Jeremy explained "we will change the world, and remove scum like you from it."

Jeremy marched forward like a soldier towards Marlon. The cool, calm and collected facade of Marlon quick turned into a vicious and violent attack. Jeremy threw a clenched fist towards Marlon but it was dodged by his former Master. Marlon landed a punch infested with inches of Uri, it sent Jeremy flying. Out of sheer will, Jeremy pushed himself mid-air forward towards Marlon.

"Zing-Zang: Darker Fire" Jeremy summoned.

A dark green and gruesome fire rushed towards Marlon. Jeremy smiled. Marlon deflected the flames with his fist. The flames latched onto his chest. It burned a massive hole through Marlon's chest. Marlon grinned in pain, before spitting his blood out onto his former student. Marlon pulled out a dagger and laced with massive Armored Uri.

"Let's see how you've improved" Marlon sighed, "It really didn't have to be like this."

Marlon licked blood off his fingertips before his veins were encouraged and consumed by rage. The hole in his chest started to close up.

"I've been around you for my whole life," Jeremy chuckled, "You didn't think I had thought of this?"

They both charged at each other, with Jeremy's sludgy fire was covered around his fist and Marlon ran at him with his dagger. The two clashing was so intense it was felt outside the void, the two kept on hitting each other until one fell. As the void around him vanished, an unconscious Jeremy was plummeting in the air. Landing in the arms of Marlon. The fate of his life fell once again in the hands of his former master. Marlon threw a rattled Jeremy to the edge of a moonlit beach, with shooting stars shining so brightly they don't know where to go, lost perhaps. Marlon sat bewildered at his fading reflection in the water.

"Don't try anything or I'll slice your neck off too." Marlon spoke.

Jeremy wasn't scared until he felt an aching sensation in his left shoulder . It was brutally ripped off sitting in Marlon's lap.

"Why did you do that?" Jeremy asked, "You spared my life."

Marlon didn't respond, he continued to question his reflection and offered a shrug.

"But you and the other Senses will regret it" Jeremy shouted.

Marlon chuckled. Jeremy got up and limped away leaving his bloody footsteps behind.

"Space Force Law 43b - One must not interfere with a direct order from a Royal" Marlon said.

Jeremy turned back dazed and confused.

"What on Earth are you on about?" Jeremy asked.

"That's why she died, in my senior years I was ordered not to interfere ," Marlon responded, " the whole thing felt unnatural."

Jeremy suddenly stopped for a moment, clenching his first with tears drowning his eyes whilst he continued walking.